Two headed toothbrush

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush comprising one u-shaped handle and two head members with several rows of bristles. The head members are able to spread and contract for greater brushing efficiency.  
     In another embodiment, A toothbrush having two head brushes and two arms connected at the opposite end, characterized in that brush head members are normally side by side in the relaxed state, and able to spread apart to cover a wider teeth surface area when finger pressure is applied to a section of the arms.

[0001] The invention relates to toothbrushes in general, and to manualtoothbrushes in particular with an ergonomic advantage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Toothbrushes are generally made of one brush head extended by asingle handle. The brushing of the teeth is done primarily bylongitudinal back and forth movements of the brush following thelongitudinal direction of the brush.

[0003] The problem with the traditional toothbrush is its inability toreach the top and bottom rows of the teeth simultaneously. Even when theuser has his teeth clinched, the brush section is not wide enough toreach the root areas at the top and bottom sections of the teeth, in asingle stroke.

[0004] During brushing, the build-up of liquid and foam inside the mouthforces the user to open his jaws, making it even mandatory to brushsingle row individually.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention provides an improved toothbrush composed oftwo brush heads that are substantially rectangular in shape, and includeseveral rows of bristles aligned in the direction of the length of thebrush body. Each body of the brush is extended by an arm member. Thearms are joined at the opposite end in the form of a U-shaped, orV-shaped loop.

[0006] The toothbrush of the invention acts like a tong, and featurestwo brush heads and two arms or handles in a single unit.

[0007] The two arms, when pinched together, will join the two heads,making them look and act as a conventional one headed brush.

[0008] The joined heads have a combined width substantially equal toexisting toothbrushes. Except for a continuous hand pressure, the usercan choose to use the toothbrush in the same conventional way.

[0009] However, should the user want to release his hand pressure, thetwo heads will spread apart to reach the relaxed state of thetoothbrush. The brush heads can now reach simultaneously far up and downareas of the teeth in one stoke. This situation arises often duringbrushing, when fluid and foam build-up occurs.

[0010] The toothbrush of the invention alternates between relaxed andcompressed states during brushing, in order to cover the entire surfaceof the teeth in a minimum amount of effort

[0011] The invention may also include one flexible member between eachbrush head and its corresponding arm, in order to force the longitudinalaxis of the brush heads to constantly line-up along the direction of thestrokes during the relaxed and the compressed state of the arms.

[0012] In another embodiment, the toothbrush of the invention includestwo brush heads and two arms lined up side by side, substantially joinedalong the longitudinal axis, while the toothbrush is in the relaxedposition. The arms of the toothbrush can be spread with the user's thumbwhile brushing.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the description of the preferred embodiment and from the claims.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a two head and two arm toothbrushin the relaxed position.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a top view of a two head and two arm toothbrush in therelaxed position.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a top view of a two head and two arm toothbrush in agradually pressed position.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a two head and two arm toothbrushin the compressed position.

[0018]FIG. 5 is a top view of a two head and two arm toothbrush joinedwhile in the relaxed position.

[0019]FIG. 6 is a top view of a two head and two arm toothbrush spreadby applied pressure from the thumb finger.

[0020]FIG. 7 is a top view of a two head and two arm toothbrush spreadby applied pressure.

[0021]FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the toothbrush along the thumbpressure section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Reference will now be made in greater detail to several preferredembodiments of the invention. This description will clearly enable oneskilled in the art to make and use the invention.

[0023] The toothbrush of the invention can be made from plastic,metallic materials, or a combination of both.

[0024] In FIG. 1, the toothbrush is in the relaxed state, without anyforce been applied to the handle arms 3 and 4. The toothbrush iscomposed of two heads 1 and 2. Each head include several rows ofbristles 10 and 11 attached to head members 1 and 2.

[0025] Brush heads and corresponding arms 3 and 4 are joined by flexiblemembers 7 and 8. Flexible members 7 and 8 can be made of lower densityplastic material or rubber, and allow brush heads 1 and 2 to stayparallel to each other while the toothbrush is in its relaxed state.Section 6 represents the inside extremity of the U shaped handle, while5 represents the outside contour of the handle.

[0026] FIG.2 represents the same toothbrush in the relaxed statedescribed in FIG. 1, but viewed from the top. Locking ring 20 is out ofits sockets 21 and 22.

[0027] FIG.3 is the top view of the toothbrush when hand pressure isfirst applied. Head extremities 12 and 13 are joined first. Flexiblemembers 7 and 8 have not been distorted.

[0028]FIG. 4 shows the toothbrush in its streamlined position afteradditional pressure is applied, and locked in position by ring 20. Atthis point, the toothbrush looks and act substantially as a conventionaltoothbrush.

[0029] In FIG. 5, the toothbrush is in the relaxed state. Each head 1and 2 with their corresponding arms 3 and 4 are lined up along the samelongitudinal axis. The brush heads 1 and 2 are preferably tight togetherand act as a single unit, simulating conventional brushing situations.

[0030] The arms include a depression or socket 30, where thumb pressurecan be applied. Socket 30 is composed of two symmetrical halves withraised areas on the outside 24, and depressed areas or valley 25 in themiddle. Handle contour 5 is more prolonged to prevent the arms fromeasily spreading.

[0031]FIGS. 6 and 7 shows the same toothbrush of FIG. 5 with thumb 31pressure been applied in socket 30. Thumb 31 and nail 32 can be replacedby other fingers.

[0032] Socket 30 can be located in either side, or both sides of thehandle. Line A represents a cross section of the socket as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9.

[0033]FIG. 8 shows arms 3 and 4 in their relaxed state before thumbpressure is applied.

[0034]FIG. 9 shows arms 3 and 4 spread apart as a result of thumbpressure

What is claimed is: 1- A toothbrush comprising two arms andcorresponding substantially parallel head members with several rows ofbristles, characterized in that head members are able to spread orcontract for greater brushing efficiency. 2- A toothbrush according toclaim 1, in which the two arms are spread apart when the toothbrush isin the relaxed position. 3- A toothbrush according to claim 1, in whichthe two arms are in the form of a substantially U-shaped handle. 4- Atoothbrush according to claim 1, in which the two brush head members canlock in a side by side position by way of a locking mean. 5- Atoothbrush according to claim 1, in which at least one arm and one headare joined by an integral flexible member to allow rotation of the head.6- A toothbrush according to claim 1, in which the arms include adeformed area, sloped towards the inside in order to accommodate theuser's finger while pressure is applied. 7- A toothbrush according toclaim 4, in which applied finger pressure on a section of the armsresults in spreading the two heads apart. 8- A toothbrush having twohead brushes and two arms connected at the opposite end, characterizedin that head members are normally side by side in the relaxed state, andable to spread apart to cover a wider teeth surface area when fingerpressure is applied to a section of the arms. 9- A toothbrush accordingto claim 6, in which at least one arm member includes a deformed surfacedesigned to accommodate the user's thumb when pinching the two armsapart. 10- A toothbrush having two head brushes and two arms connectedat the opposite end, characterized in that head members are normallyside by side in the relaxed state, and able to spread apart to cover awider teeth surface area when finger pressure is applied to a middlesection between the arms.